Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Brown the beef:

• Place a wide pot on the stove over medium-high heat. If needed, add a drizzle of neutral oil. Add the beef and cook, breaking up with a spoon, for 15 minutes until completely cooked through. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

Cook the pasta:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add the macaroni and cook until 2 minutes under al dente. Scoop out ½ cup of the pasta water and set it aside. Drain the macaroni and set it aside.

Cook the aromatics:

• If needed, add more oil to the pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, bell peppers, and mushrooms and cook for 10–15 minutes until they begin to turn golden brown around the edges. Add the garlic and minced chili pepper and cook for 1 minute—season with salt and pepper.

Bloom the spices:

• Melt the butter into the pot. Once bubbly, add the thyme, paprika, and bell pepper flakes if used. Cook for 1 minute.

Brown the tomato paste:

• Add the tomato paste to the pot and stir to coat the aromatics in the paste. Cook for 2 minutes until the paste deepens in color.
• Pour in the reserved pasta cooking water and stir to combine until a smooth sauce forms.

Finish the mixture:

• Add the reserved ground beef, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and cooked macaroni to the pot. Add half of the cheddar cheese and half of the Italian cheese mix and stir until evenly combined. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and sugar if needed. Turn off the heat.

Bake the Johnny Marzetti:

• Pour the mixture into a casserole dish. Top with the remaining cheddar and Italian cheese mixture. Bake for 25 minutes until bubbly. If desired, broil the Johnny Marzetti for 2–3 minutes to brown the cheese further.

To serve:

• Remove the casserole from the oven. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!